Steel folding chair



April 19, 1949. c; c so 2,467,963

STEEL FOLDING CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1947 April 19, 1949. CARLSON 2,467,963

S TEEL FOLDING CHAIR 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1947 28 '28 Inventor Carl Theodore Carlson 405'. F. 6 L B v {A lg. W

Q a Attorneys Patented Apr. 19, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE STEEL FOLDING CHAIR Carl Theodore Carlson, Iron Mountain, Mich. Application May 15, 1947, Serial No. 748,151:

4 Claims. 1

This invention pertains to novel and useful improvements in a steel folding chair and more specifically comprises a highly eflicient means for simultaneously collapsing the seat and front legs of a chair against the'back-thereof for compactly storing and handling the same.

The principal objects of this invention reside in providing a collapsible steel chair wherein the seat and leg portions thereof may be compactly collapsed against the back; wherein a positive mechanical connection is provided between the folding legs and seat for insuring simultaneous movement of these elements during the collapsing operation; to provide a locking means for cooperating engagement between the collapsing legs and the seat for firmly and securely positioning and locking the parts in their assembled position; and to provide a collapsing chair wherein upon actuation of either the seat or the folding legs, the chair may be collapsed compactly,

Further subordinate objects of the invention consist in providing an article in accordance with the preceding objects, which shall be strong and durable in its construction, conveniently arranged to facilitate assembling or collapsing of the same as desired; and which shall be withal of inexpensive construction and satisfactory in its operation.

These, together with various ancillary objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the chair from the front, in its assembled position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the chair from the rear in its assembled position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed view taken in vertical sections substantially upon the sec tion line 3-3 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the chair in its assembled position as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the chair in its collapsed position;

Figure 6 is a rear elevational view of the chair; and,

Figure '7 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of Figure 5, showing more clearly the construction and contour of the associated parts of the collapsing mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the annexed drawings, wherein like numerals designate ill similar parts throughout the various views, the numeral l0 designates each of the rear legs of the chair which as will be seen of one piece construction and for both. the legs and parts of the rigid back thereof. At their upper extremities, the rear leg members Ill are joined by transversely extending reinforcing panels I2, which in turn are interconnected by vertically disposed slats or rods I l constituting a conventional back for a collapsible chair.

As will be seen by reference, to the drawings, the back leg members H! are bowed slightly backwards, in accordance with conventional practice, and are disposed intermediate their ends to provide forwardly extending lug portions It to which are pivoted the collapsible seat and front leg members to be now set forth.

As shown more particularly in Figure '7, it will be seen that a transversely disposed axle or rod I8 is journaled in and extends through the lug portion iii of the rear legs Ill, loosely journaled on the transverse rod l8 are a pair of discs 20 having a portion of their periphery provided with gear teeth 22, and being attached as by fastening means 23 to the hook portion 24 of a front leg member 26. This front leg is preferably of channel shaped construction having side walls 28 adapted to embrace the rear leg Ill when the front leg is folded thereagainst, as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7. The channel shaped front leg member 26 is cut away at its rear or hook end to provide bifurcations 30 which embrace the lug portion [6 therebetween, for guidingly and pivotally retaining the leg upon this lug portion. Suitably mounted in the lug portion [6 above the shaft I8, is a second transverse shaft 32, parallel thereto, upon which second shaft is freely journaled a pair of seat side frame members 34 which support transversely thereof a wooden or other seat member 36 detachably secured thereto and of any suitable construction. The hook portion of the seat frame members 34 are provided with gear teeth 38 which are complementary to and mesh with the segmental gear teeth 22 of the disc 20, whereby the seat and front leg are positively geared together for operation towards and from each other as they oscillate about their pivot shafts l8 and 32.

The forward leg members 26 are transversely connected forwardly of their rear pivotal connections M3, by a reinforcing rod 4!], which serves to give lateral stability to the front legs for operating the same as a unit during their collapsing and opening movements; and also acts to provide a support for locking engagement with depending notched lugs 42 extending downwardly from the seat frame members 34.

From the foregoing it is believed that the manner of operating the device will now be readily understood. The chair may be opened or collapsed as desired by appropriate pivotal movement of either the seat member or front leg assembly, the gearing connection 22 and 38 constituting a positive synchronizing connection therebetween for simultaneously operating one member from the other. The front leg assembly being of channel material is adapted to straddle and embrace the rear legs to permit more com plete collapsing of the assembly as well as to brace and stabilize the leg assembly in its opened position. Finally, the interlocking connection between the seat and front leg assembly serves to securely retain the chair in its open or operative position, and further braces and reinforces the assembly.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, and since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and attached drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications may be resorted to following the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A collapsible chair including a unitary back and rear leg assembly, a seat assembly and a front leg assembly pivoted to said back leg assembly and connecting means between said seat and front leg assemblies for simultaneous pivotal movement thereof, said connecting means including gears secured at said pivot points to said seat and front leg assemblies and meshing with each other.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said seat assembly and said front leg assembly are separately pivoted to said rear leg assembly.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said front leg assembly includes channeled shaped leg members embracing said rear leg assembly in collapsed position.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein a transverse rod is carried by said front legassembly and notched lugs carried by said seat assembly are engageable with said transverse rod.

CARL THEODORE CARLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name- Date 935,360 Jennings Sept. 28, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 310,961 Italy Sept. 15, 1933 

